Automatic roller setting for ink distribution systems



Jan. 13, 1959 H. W. FAEBER AUTOMATIC ROLLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTIONSYSTEMS Filed July 6. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

HARRY W. FAEBER A TTOF/VfVS' Jan. 13, 1959 H. w. FAEBER 2,868,122

AUTOMATIC R LLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Filed July 6. 1954v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY w. FAEBER United States PatentAUTOMATIC ROLLER SETTING FOR INK DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Harry W. Faeber,Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Time, lyncofi'porated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,418

Claims. (Cl. 101-348) This invention relates to inking mechanisms forprinting machines, and more particularly, to inking mechanisms whereinink is transferred from an ink reservoir to a printing plate by means ofa plurality of ink transferring rollers.

The function of an inking system in a printing machine is to apply afine, even coat of ink to the printing surfaces of a printing plate, andthis has been done conventionally by transferring the ink from a supplyreservoir by the rolling contact of a plurality of inking rollers, theink being transferred from one to the other down the line with the lastroller or rollers in a sequence being in rolling contact with theprinting plate. This conventional type inking system causes the inkparticles to be spread out more and more evenly at each stage oftransfer, and

insures a constant even supply of ink to the rollers which actuallyengage the plate.

The proper adjustment of each of the ink transferring roller and thesurface to be inked are among the more 3 critical relationships in aninking system. For example, not only is the actual pressure exertedbetween the various rollers an important consideration, but also theuniformity of the pressure of a particular roller with each of thesurfaces which it engages. To obtain uniformity of pres-;

sure, the ink roller must be located with precision between each of thesurfaces with which it makes contact.

The present invention provides an inking mechanism wherein the properadjustment of the inking rollers is facilitated and the human factorsgreatly reduced. The.

present invention makes possible the precision adjustment of an inkingroller to a mean position between the two surfaces which it engages, sothat the pressures which exist between each of the contacting surfaceswill be substantially equal. In addition, the present invention makes itpossible to separate one of the rollers of the inking mechanism, lock itin separated position for an indefinite period of time, for example, toreplace a roller that has become unduly worn, and then return it tooperative engagement with the inking roller restoring itself to itsoriginal balanced position without requiring further adjustment.

of the supporting structure for the inking rollers;

Figure 4 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of the last inkingrollers in the inking system, showing them operatively engaged with theplate-carrying cylinder;

Figure 5 is a cross-section view taken along the line 'ice 55 of Figure4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view of an alternative construction forparts of the mechanism shown in Figure Figure 7 is a cross-section viewtaken along the line 7-7 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of thearrows; and

Figure 8 is a cross-section view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 4,looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the inking system to which the present invention applies, a supply ofink is stored in a reservoir (not shown) and transferred from surface tosurface by a succession of inking rollers before being applied to thesurface to be inked. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of steelink distributor rollers 10 are mounted on shafts 12 which are rotatablyjournalled at both ends in bearings of a frame 11. The steel rollers 10are spaced side by side in parallel relation on the same horizontal axisH (see Fig. 2). The steel rollers are separated from one another, andthe ink is transferred from one distributor roller to the next byrubber-covered rollers 13 between and in tangential engagement withadjacent steel rollers. The steel rollers 10 are spaced closely togetherso that the axes of rotation of the intermediate rubber rollers 13 areabove the horizontal axis H. As shown in Fig. 4, the last steeldistributor roller 10 in the line transfers the ink to a pair of rubberform rollers 13a, which form rollers are in direct engagement with thecylinder C when the cylinder C is in the operative position indicated inphantom lines in Fig. 4. The rollers 10 and 13 may be power driven, butthe drive mechanism is unimportant to the present invention.

The upper rubber rollers 13 are mounted in clusters of two in a mannerwhich insures the necessary freedom of movement to permit them to beproperly adjusted and located between the two lower rollers 10 whichthey engage. The rollers 13 are provided with shafts 14, which seat ateach end in semi-cylindrical hollows of horizontally disposed supportingarms 15. The shafts 14 are locked in place on the arms 15 by pivotalcaps 16 attached to the arms. The upper caps also are formed withsemicylindrical hollows to accommodate the shafts. The caps may belocked in place by wing nuts 17, which threadably engage the upper endsof eye bolts 18 pivoted to the lower arms 15. As shown in Figure 1, theends of the caps contain slots 1617 which the eye bolts are free toenter before being locked in place by the nuts 17. Counterbore 16areceives the lower part of the wing nut body, thus providingmechanically positive means to prevent the wing nut and eye bolt fromslipping out of the slot 16b.

The two rollers 13 in each cluster are mounted on either side of acommon assembly. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the various operativeparts of the common assembly are all mounted from a fixture or bracket1?, which bracket seats upon and is screwed to the top of a portion ofthe frame 11. It is understood that both ends of each of the rollers 13are similarly mounted so that it has been necessary to show and describebut one side thereof in detail. As best shown in Figure 3, the rollersupporting arms 15 for each of the two rollers of the cluster extend inopposite directions, although at their supported ends they overlap andare in abutting engagement. The overlapping abutting ends of the arms 15each are pivotally attached to one of a pair of parallel downwardlydepending pivotal links 20a, 2012. As shown in Figure 3, the rightwardlyextending arm 15 is connected to the lower end of the rear link 20a bymeans of a shouldered stud 21a, and the leftwardly extending arm isconnected to the lower end of the link 20b by means of a similar stud21b. For example, the threaded part 21a of stud 21a is tightly screwedinto tapped hole t separated from the lower rollers 10.

15' of the rightwardly extending arm 15, and shoulder 21a" of the samestud pivots freely in the lower hole of link 20a.

The upper ends of the. parallel links 20a andZOb are separated by anupstanding, block 22, and both the links .and block are suspended from along flanged pin 23,

the end of which is secured to the bracket 19 by means of a taper pin(not shown) driven through a small hole 19a in the top of the bracketinto a companion hole 23a of the pin 23. The links 20a, 2% are looselysuspended from the pin 23, but the block 22 is held thereto by a pin 22awhich passes through the block and the pin 23. Since the links 20a, 20bare free to move independently of one another, it is clear that each ofthe upperrollers 13 will be permitted to find its proper positionbetween the two lower rollers 11 which it engages. Ideally, when in thedesired position, the axes of the shafts 14 will fall on lines P (seeFigure 2), which lines P are perpendicular to the horizontal axis Halong which all of the lower distributor rollers are mounted, crossingthe horizontal line H at a point midway between adjacent lower rollers;or stated another way, the line P is the line which bisects are angle Aformed by the intersection of lines connecting the axis of rotation ofthe roller 13 with the axes of rotation of each of the rollers 10 whichthe roller 13 engages. Preferably, but not necessarily, the parts arearranged so that a line F (see Figure 2) drawn through the axis of thepivot of the arm and the axis of the shaft 14 is perpendicular to theline P.

The weight of the roller 13 may provide the necessary contactingpressure with the lower rollers 10, however, small compression springs25 buttressed between suitable lugs 26 of the arms 15 and opposite sidesof the block 22, may provide increased pressure, it necessary, tomaintain the rollers 13 in smooth contact with the lower rollers 10. Ifdesired, set screws (not shown) may be set into the housing 22 toprovide for regulation of the pressure exerted by the springs. In casethe weight of rollers 1.3 would produce a contact pressure betweenrollers 13 and 10 greater than desired, extension springs may be used inplace of compression springs 25 which would then partiallycounterbalance the weight of the rollers. The tension of these extensionsprings may be made adjustable to allow any desired variation in contactpressure.

To permit the rollers 13 to "be moved out of operative engagement withthe lower rollers 10, a horizontal rack 28 is set into a slide on thetop of the frame 11. As shown in Figure l, the rack is engaged by apinion 27 mounted on a shaft 29. The shaft 23 is provided with a pinion(not shown) at its other end, and the pinion controls the movement of asimilar rack. The extreme end of the shaft 29 is provided with a pinwrench hub 30 to permit the adjustment of the rack. The top surface ofthe rack is formed with two inclined cam surfaces 31, one adapted toengage each of the shafts 14, and each of the inclined surfaces isfollowed by a slight depression 32. As the hub 30 is turned in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, the rack will betranslated to the left, the inclined surfaces engaging and raising theshafts 14 until the shafts 14 are seated in the depressions 32. In thisposition, the upper rollers 13 are When the rack is translated to theright, the rollers are automatically returned to the original operativeengagement with the lower rollers 10 without any further adjustmentbeing required. The extreme limits of movement of the rack 23 to theright and to the left are determined by screws 33a and 331) set into thetop of the frame 11.

When one of the rollers 13 is to be adjusted in operative engagementwith the two lower rollers 10, the roller '13 is first permitted to findits proper mean position in contact with the lower rollers. The angularrelationship between theappropriate pivotal link a or 2011 and therespective pivotal arm 15 permit the roller to find a position ofsubstantially uniform contact with the two lower rollers 10.

Once the upper rollers 13 are in place, they may be locked, if desired,by clamp screws 35 to prevent them from bouncing up and down while inoperation. As best shown in Figure 3, the clamp screws pass throughoversized holes 36 formed in the bracket 19 and through washers 37, 33,one on each sideof the hole 36, and threadably engage holes 39 formed inthe arms 15. When the clamps 35 are loose, the oversized holes 36 permitlimited movement of the arms 15 so that they have sufficient freedom topermit the rollers 13 to find their mean positions between the two lowerrollers. The articulated linkage by means of which the ink roller issupported permits limited translational movement of the axis of rotationto either side of a line P (defined below) when the clamps 35 areloosened. When the position has been found, the clamp 35 may betightened thereby locking the roller 13 in place. When loosened, clampscrews 35 and oversize hole 36 also serve to prevent excessivehorizontal shifting of the rollers while the throw-off cam bar 28 isbeing translated to lift or lower rollers 13.

The form rollers 13a which transfer the ink from the last steeldistributor roller 10 in a line to the printing plate carried by thecylinder C are mounted individually, rather than in clusters of two likethe rollers 13.

As shown in Figure 4, the last roller 11) in the sequence operativelyengages two form rollers 13a, one above and the other below thehorizontal axis H. The roller 13a located below the horizontal axis H ismounted in similar fashion to the roller 13a located above thehorizontal axis H, so that it is necessary to show and describe but onein detail. The shafts 14a of the upper roller 13a are accommodated ateach end in a semicylindrical hollow formed at the end of a pivotal arm4-6. It will be seen that the arm 40 is similar to the arms 15 describedabove. The shaft 14:: is retained within the hollow of the arm by anouter cap 41 pivotally mounted at the lower end of the arm 40 and lockedin place by a nut and eye bolt assembly 42. The other end of the arm 41)is pivotally connected by a stud 46 to an upright link 43, and the link43, in turn, is pivotally attached to the frame 11 by a small shaft 44.It is evident that this construction, like the supporting constructionfor the rollers 13 just described, permits the roller 13a to find abalanced position between the roller 10 and the cylinder C when thecylinder C is in the operative position represented in Figure 4 byphantom lines. If the roller 13a is to have substantially uniformcontact with both the roller 10 and the cylinder C, the axis of theshaft 14a ideally will be located on the line L, which line L, like thelines P, is the line which bisects the angle B formed by theintersection of lines connecting the axis of rotation of the roller 13awith the axes of rotation of the roller 10 and the cylinder C, when thecylinder is in the operative position.

When the roller 13a has been properly positioned with respect to theroller 10 and the cylinder C, the link 43 may be locked in the setposition. Accordingly, the upper end of the link 43 is provided with aflat projection 43a which extends between the two oppositely disposedset screws mounted to the machine frame 11. The set screws 45, 4511 maybe adjusted to engage opposite sides of the projection 43a to maintainthe link in the desired position.

The weight of the upper roller 13a is supplemented by a compressionspring 47 to produce the necessary pressure of the roller 13a againstthe roller 10 and the cylinder C. Obviously, in the case of the roller13a located below the horizontal axis H, the spring pressure would haveto be much greater to overcome the efiect of gravity. The spring 47 ishoused within a small balance the weight of the roller 13a.

housing 'or cartridge 48 mounted to the machine frame The top surface ofthe arm 40 is provided with "a recess (see Figure 5) which receives thelower end of the compression spring 47. The upper end of the spring actsagainst a disc 50 mounted at the lower end of adjustable set screw 51which is threaded through the upper end of the cartridge 48. Thepressure exerted by the spring 47 on the arm 40 may thus be adjusted byadjusting the position of the set screw 51. In case the weight of roller13a exerts a contact pressure greater than desired between rollers 13aand on one hand and roller 13a and plate cylinder C on the other hand,an extension spring may be used in place of compression spring 47 withsuitable adjustment to partially counter- The same counterbalancing mayalso be accomplished by locating a compression spring assembly similarto that shown in connection with spring 47 below arm 40 rather thanabove it.

The center of the arm 40 is provided with a slightly curved slot 52. Theslot 52 accommodates a locking screw 54 which, as shown in Fig 5, isthreaded into a hole formed in the frame 11. The slot 52 is wider thanthe diameter of the screw 53, so that when the screw is loosened, thelink 43 may have sufficient freedom of movement, due to the articulatedlinkage 40 43 to effect the adjustment of the position of the roller13a.

.The-lock screw 54 performs a function similar to the clamps 35 inFigure 3, that is to say, when tightened, it locks the arm 40 in thedesired position to prevent the roller from bouncing up and down whilein operation.

To set the roller 13 in proper position relative to the distributorroller 10 and the cylinder C, the roller 13a will first be permitted tofind its position between the steel distributor roller 10 and the platecylinder C when the cylinder is in the operative position, representedby the'phantom lines in Figure 4. When in proper position, the formroller 13a will develop substantially uniform contact with both theplate cylinder and the distributor roller 10 with a pressure which maybe determined by the adjustable spring 47. When the roller' 13a hasfound its proper position between the roller 10 and the cylinder C, andthe pressure of the spring adjusted, the clamp screw 54 may be tightenedto lock the roller in place and the set screws 45, 45a adjusted againstthe opposite sides of the projection 43a to prevent accidental movementor displacement of the link 43.

With the arrangement above described, it is evident that, even with thecylinder in the inoperative position represented by the solid lines inFig. 4, the upper roller 13a may be lifted out of operative position andthen returned so as to 'be in proper pressure engagement with thecylinder C when it is moved back to working position, provided that thelink 43 has been first locked in proper set position by the screws 45,45a. For example, with the set screws 45, 45a engaging opposite sides ofextension 43a of the link 43 and the cylinder C in the retractedposition, the clamp screw 54 may be loosened and the cylinder 13a raisedfor inspection, cleaning or replacement. In the event a new roller is tobe substituted, the old roller can easily be removed by loosening thenut and screw assemblies 42. The roller may then be permitted to swingback into contact with the distributor roller 10 in accordance with thepreadjusted pressure of the spring 47. The screw 54 may be tightened tolock the roller 13a in place, and when the cylinder C moves back intoworking position, the roller will automatically have the proper contactwith the cylinder C.

An alternative arrangement of mounting the pivotal arm 40 is representedin Figures 6 and 7. Instead of connecting the end of the arm 40 to thepivotal link 43, it may be pivotally connected to a stud 60 which has aneccentric stem 61. The stem 61, which has a threaded portion 61a, passesthrough a hole formed in the frame 11 and is held therein by a nut 62 atthe other side of the frame. The stud 60 about which the arm 40 pivotspermits the axis of the shaft 14a to be adjusted to insure that it fallssquarely on the line L. This is accomplished by loosening nut 62 andturning the eccentric stud by means of a screwdriver inserted in slot60a, and then retightening the nut 62. This adjustment would be madeinitially at the erection of the machine, and it would not necessarilyhave to be made subsequently thereto. The set position of the eccentricstud 60 determines the location of the pivot of the arm 40 precisely inthe same manner as do the adjustable set screws 45, 45a in theembodiment shown in Figure 4. When the angular position of the eccentricstud 60 is set and the locking screw 54 released, the arm 40 is stillfree to pivot about the stud 60 to permit the roller 13a to be raised toinoperative position. As in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the rollermay be returned to its original operative position by the pre-adjustedspring 47, and the roller locked in that position by tightening thescrew 54, whether or not the cylinder C is in the operative position.

In the above description the automatic roller adjustment was describedfor substantially equal contact pressure between roller 13a anddistributor roller 10 on one hand and roller 13a and plate cylinder C onthe other hand. It is conceivable that different degrees of contactpressure may be required for the distributor roller and the platecylinder. Adjusting screws 45 and 45a or eccentric stud 60 allowadjustment for any desired pressure ratio. For example, if it isdesiredto exert a greater pressure on the distributor roller than on theplate cylinde, the pivot point 46 or 60 would be adjusted slightly tothe left from its equal pressure position. If the pivot point is thenlocked in this adjusted position, the roller 13a, and any other rollerslightly dilferent in diameter replacing it, will automatically assumethe same contact pressure relationship.

The present invention has been shown in a single preferred form and byway of example only, and obviously many modifications and variations maybe made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Itin to be understood, therefore, that the present invenion is not to belimited to any specified form or embodiment unless such limitations areset forth in the appended claims.

' p I claim: p

1. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of arotatable ink transfer roller which receives ink from one surface andtransfers it to another, the ink transfer roller being disposed aboveand in engagement with the said surfaces, pivotal arms supporting theends of the roller, a fixed mounting shaft, a pivotal link connectingthe pivotal arms with the mounting shaft, the arrangement affording apivot between the link and the pivotal arms, which pivot is movable inspace, whereby the roller is capable of finding its positionautomatically by gravity relative to and intermediate the surfaces whichit engages, an adjustable clamp for locking said pivotal arm in adesired adjusted position, said clamp having a shank portion, and meansdefining an oversized hole surrounding the shank portion of the clamp,said hole permitting limited translational movement of the axis of theink roller when the clamp is released.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 including means for locking theconnecting link in different angular positions.

3. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of apair of ink transfer rollers, each adapted to operatively engage two inkrollers and to transfer ink from one to the other, one end of each ofthe rollers being mounted to an arm, a shaft mounted between the inkrollers, means for supporting the shaft, a spring retaining membersupported by said shaft, spring means between the spring retainingmember and each of said arms, a pair of links, each pivoted at one endto the shaft and at the other end to one of the arms, the

linkages permitting each of the rollers to finda meanposition ofsubstantialy uniform. contact with. the two rollers which it operativelyengages, and locking means accommodated by said means. for supporting.the shaft for locking the arms in adjusted position.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 including a slide having a pairof cam surfaces thereon, said cam surfaces serving to move both of therollers out of contact with the rollers which they normally operativelyengage. v

5. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of aframe, a rotatable. ink roller which receives ink from one rotatingsurface and transfers it to another, an articulated linkage comprisingaisupporting arm for the ink roller, a member freely pivoted to theframe and means pivotally connecting the supporting arm to the pivotalmember, said articulatedlinkage permitting translational movement of theaxis of rotation of the ink roller on opposite sides of a line bisectingthe angle formed by the intersection of lines connecting the .axis ofrotation of the roller with the axes of rotation .of each of therotating surfaces with which the roller is engaged, permitting theroller to find its position automatically relative to the surfaces whichit engages, and means for locking the supporting arm in a desiredadjusted position relative to the frame.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 including means for limitingthe extent of the displacement of the axis of rotation of the ink rolleron both sides of said line bisecting said angle when the locking meansis released.

7. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of aframe, a rotatable ink roller which receives ink from one rotatingsurface and transfers it to another, a first arm for rotatablysupporting the ink roller, a second arm freely pivoted to the frame,means pivotally connecting the first and second arms, said first andsecond arms forming an articulated linkage which affords translationalmovement to the axis of rotation of the ink roller which extends toeither side of a line bisecting the angle formed by the intersection oflines connecting the axis of rotation of the roller with the axes ofrotation of each of the rotating surfaces with which the roller isengaged, spring means for urging the inking roller into engagement withboth of said surfaces with which the roller is engaged, permitting theinking roller to find its position automatically relative to thesurfaces which it engages, and means forlocking the first arm in theadjusted position.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein the means for lockingthe first arm in adjusted position includes a threaded clamp which, whentightened, frictionally locks the first arm to the frame, means defininga threaded opening to receive said clamp, and means defining an enlargedhole surrounding the threaded clamp to permit limited translationalmovement to the axis of rotation of the ink roller when the lockingclamp is loosened.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 7 including a sliding camelement, ways for guiding the slidable cam element,.and a cam surfaceformed on said cam element which serves to move the inking roller out ofcontact with both of said surfaces against the action of said springmeans when the first arm is unlocked.

10. In an inking mechanism for a printing machine, the combination of aframe, a rotatable ink transfer roller which receives ink from onesurface and transfers it to another, a supporting arm for the roller, ashaft having a fixed axis supported by the frame, a pivotal linkconnecting the fixed shaft and the supporting arm, an extension formedat the free end of said pivotal link, a pair of oppositely disposedadjustable set screws between which the extension projects to permit thelink to be locked in a set position, a spring acting against saidsupporting arm to urge the ink roller into pressure engagement with thesurfaces which it engages, a clamp having a threaded shank which, whentightened, frictionally locks the supporting arm to the frame, meansdefining a threaded opening to receive the threaded shank of said clamp,and means defining an enlarged hole surrounding the threaded shank ofthe clamp to permit limited translational movement to the axis ofrotation of the ink roller when the threaded clamp is loosened and theset screws are spaced apart from said extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Jan. 20, 1937

